| − | '''Joseph Michael Arpaio''' (born June 14, 1932) was the [[sheriff]] of Maricopa County, [[Arizona]] from 1993 to 2017. As sheriff, he was known for being very [[conservative]], as well as tough on crime and on illegal immigration. Left-wing organizations such as the [[ACLU]], [[SPLC]], and the [[Obama Administration]] [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department]],<ref name=doj>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/justice-department-sues-sheriff-joe-arpaio-civil-rights/story?id=16321622|title=Justice Department Sues Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Civil Rights Case|date=May 10, 2012 |accessdate=Sept. 11, 2017}}</ref>among others, attacked his strong anti-illegal immigration stance. Arpaio became Sheriff of Maricopa County in 1992 and was re-elected six times. As sheriff, Arpaio headed up the law enforcement agency for the unincorporated area surrounding Phoenix, an area of 9,226 square miles.<ref name=about>{{cite web|url=https://www.mcso.org/Home|title=Welcome to the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office|accessdate=Aug 26, 2017}}</ref> | + | '''Joseph Michael Arpaio''' (born June 14, 1932) was the [[sheriff]] of Maricopa County, [[Arizona]] from 1993 to 2017. As sheriff, he was known for being very [[conservative]], as well as tough on crime and on illegal immigration. Left-wing organizations such as the [[ACLU]], [[SPLC]], and the [[Obama Administration]] [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department]],<ref name=doj>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/justice-department-sues-sheriff-joe-arpaio-civil-rights/story?id=16321622|title=Justice Department Sues Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Civil Rights Case|date=May 10, 2012 |accessdate=Sept. 11, 2017}}</ref> among others, attacked his strong anti-illegal immigration stance. Arpaio became Sheriff of Maricopa County in 1992 and was re-elected six times. As sheriff, Arpaio headed up the law enforcement agency for the unincorporated area surrounding Phoenix, an area of 9,226 square miles.<ref name=about>{{cite web|url=https://www.mcso.org/Home|title=Welcome to the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office|accessdate=Aug 26, 2017}}</ref> |
| | In 2012, he and a group of volunteer investigators claimed to have evidence suggesting that [[Barack Obama]] deliberately forged his birth records in order to be eligible to run for President.<ref>http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/07-03-2012/120708-arizona_sheriff_obama-0/</ref> | | In 2012, he and a group of volunteer investigators claimed to have evidence suggesting that [[Barack Obama]] deliberately forged his birth records in order to be eligible to run for President.<ref>http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/07-03-2012/120708-arizona_sheriff_obama-0/</ref> |